Fill up your own cup, and let them fall in love with the overflow.
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Faerie Paths — Overflow
Author: humoringthegoddess
I am a writer of fantasy fiction that often surrounds middle-aged women. I am a married mother of two and granny to three, a BoHo Chic kinda gal. I am recently retired and busier than when I worked 9-5. But writing and blogging is my main game.
Buildings, Gates, Archways, Tombs, and More — Part Two — Doorways and Arches
Another day, Another world!
I had such a magical time wandering through the old world over Europe way. Even with the occasional McDonalds and souvenir stands on every other corner, it was an amazing glance at the past. Brick roads and plazas, statues everywhere — living in idwest United States your mind cannot fathom what it’s like to have ancient art everywhere you go.
For today’s blog, let’s try some pediments, cornices, tympanums, and whatever other words mean decorative pieces above doorways and arches….
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Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Spinning Tops
You spin me right ’round, baby, right ’round
Like a record, baby, right ’round, ’round, ’round
~ Flo Rida
A Moment’s Poem
Cool breeze this dark night
smooth night jazz in the background
friends who have passed away come back to say hi
It’s a good night.
Two Great Horned Owls…
Solidify their pair-bond
Sharing thoughts in tenor and baritone
It’s a good night.
This hour of the night
Makes madmen sing
And dreamers fly.
It’s a good night.
Is Blogging Obsolete
A strange point of view — talking about what you’re doing at the moment. Like wondering if making homemade spaghetti sauce is old fashioned.
Some people love doing it; others are so busy with their lives it’s much easier to doctor up a jar of the red marvel. Of course the end result is “worth it: — but is it practical anymore?
Have we trended out of one form of expression only to discover the next one that lies around the corner?
I spend a lot of time on research for my art blogs. I myself love doing nitty gritty like that. But many don’t. And many don’t have time to read blogs they’re signed up for. What started out to be an enjoyable way to spend a few minutes has more likely become a chore.
And we all know how we love chores.
Sometimes I sit and reflect that there’s really nothing left to blog about. I can’t stand half of the world affairs, and no amount of blogging will change the players involved. I don’t do recipes or instructions or celebrity gossip. The art I find I share, but not everyone is interested these days.
I’m not taking offense if blogging is on it’s way out as a social trend. Fifteen years ago blogging was just coming into vogue. A few years before that it was Facebook and Instagram. There was always a way to be heard.
Now with apps like Tic Tok and What’s App and dozens more you can be heard and seen everywhere all at once. I suppose that’s good and bad.
But back to blogging.
I know in here I’ve said from time that feel a slowdown coming. A change of ways. After all, what is life without change?
People evolve. So do their forms of entertainment. What was fun and innovative five years ago is now old news. People used to write in journals and give each other calling cards so they could keep in touch. Letters turned to hardcover books which turned into paperbacks and now most anything you want to read can be found electronically.
This is not so much a wondering blog as it is an observational one. WordPress used to (and still might) be the most popular writing blog. But, as evolution shows, now it’s in competition with Bluesky, Substack, and who know what else.
Today’s blog is more about keeping connected.
Just as hardcovers evolved into Kindle and hand written letters turned into texting, so blogs will continue to evolve.
I hope you continue to use the tools of the Internet, not to waste, but to create. Explore, research, wander. But always come back home.
It’s where blogging will be waiting … along with some kickass homemade spaghetti sauce …..
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Volker Hermes
Volker Hermes (-1972) is internationally artist renowned for his ‘Hidden Portraits’ that make digital interventions into historical portrait paintings.
Hermes revisits historical portraits by incorporating diverted ornaments inspired by costumes from the 16th to the 19th century, which invade the picture.
Taking textures and patterns from within the antique image, he creates masks and new adornments that obscure the sitters’ faces and in the process sheds new insight on how fashion functions in historical imagery.
Volker’s ‘Hidden Portraits’ are playful and mischievous; they delight in the sensory exuberance of historical dress.
For the last decade, Hermes has used digital-imaging software to manipulate classic portraits from museum collections around the world.
The entire face is covered by an absurd mask, piled-up fabric or a ceremonial wig. But nothing is added to the paintings. All the changes come from within the original itself.
Hermes’s meticulously described collages pay homage to their sources while gently ribbing the social pretensions and ambitions of the courtly classes.
His practice plays with the limits of perception and tenderly mocks human folly, whether it’s the desire to capture and tame the natural world or to flaunt the latest fashions.
More of Volker Hermes surreal paintings can be found at https://www.hermes.art/.
Cats (repost…on Caturday, no less!)
See — my compatriots celebrate Caturday — even if they don’t realize it!
Here is a great post by my friend Georgiann over at Rethinking Life sharing more insights into the world of Caterday!
Cats…
October 10, 2025
this is what our cats do
when we leave the house
they get dressed up
go out and meet friends
why would they stay home
waiting for us to return
when they could dress up
in beautiful clothes
and have fun
so start buying your cat
well made top coats
a few ties
hats and scarfs
instead of
catnip mice
and squeaky toys
I think they’d appreciate it
Photo: William Tyiilijura
Pixabay
Faerie Paths — Sky
Once you have tasted the taste of sky, you will forever look up.
~Leonardo da Vinci
How Are You?
How often do you ask this of others?
How often do you ask this and mean it?
“How are you?” is one of those phrases we throw out constantly, often with emptiness behind it. Kind of like a courtesy call. “How are you?” is about as cliché as “What’s New?” but not as specific as “Did you -___?” or “How was ___?”
I’m not picking on us. It’s a courtesy in and of itself just to speak to someone else. These days it’s easier to walk eyes down or stare at your phone and ignore a possible interaction than to actually engage in conversation.
“How ya doin’?” is often an ice breaker. Depending on the response (not only the actual words but someone’s body language) you can instantly judge if you want to continue the conversation or move on.
“How are you?” gives you room to instantly judge a situation and your reaction to it. Which is not always an accurate response.
People who are in pain or who have just lost a loved one often say “I’m doing fine.” They protect their hearts and minds with those three words, keeping the world at bay while they deal with whatever.
“I’m doing fine” also is a knee jerk response to the constant repetition of the question they hear all day long. After all, how many times do you need to explain your feelings about frustration or depression or, the other side of the coin, bliss and contentment?
Emotions are a strange reaction to the world around you. Heaven forbid you are too happy or too sad. Middle-of-the-road Q&As make life easier. How are you. Fine. Move on. How are you. Fine. Move on.
I’m not saying every conversation needs to be a confessional or a gut-wrenching response. Sometimes you are just fine. Sometimes you are just being polite.
But I don’t want to turn into a robot who asks the same questions a dozen times a day and get the same dozen answers. Sometimes I want the other person to know that I really am interested in their well being and their psyche. I don’t need an in depth conversation of what’s bothering them unless it’s obvious that they need one at the moment.
Reading people is nearly impossible. We all have such heavy armor around us it’s hard for us to experience the world as it’s meant to be experienced.
But know that sometimes when someone asks you “How are you?” they really want to know. They, too, are tippy toeing around sensitive subjects yet want you to know they’re there for you if need be.
So ….
How are you?
Looking Back Blogs — Statues — Part Two
Good Morning! Welcome to our Art Gallery Review!
Thought this morning we could continue our wandering through Sunday Evening Art Gallery galleries — how about statues? Part Two?
Sounds good!
Alberto Giacometti
Peter Jansen
Sam Shendi
Wenqin Chen
Guy Clement Cohen
Georgie Seccull
Takanori Aiba
Lorenzo Quinn
Woodrow Nash
Love Statues
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni
Faerie Paths — Creativity
Creativity takes courage.
~ Henri Matisse
How Many Times Do I Say “NOW”?
Well, I’ve certainly not been bored lately.
How wonderful, you all think. Something to do all the time. Someone to do it with.
While I agree with your assessment (I am indeed blessed), I am in need of some alone time, too.
Some people HATE being alone. Past experiences, relationships, current mind chatter, all work on our psyche for good and bad. One bad carrot in the bag and we tend to throw the whole thing away.
I’ve actually been trying to EAT my carrots lately.
I’ve been busy with grandkids, camping with daughter-in-law’s parents, rearranging rooms, and today I’m moving in all my plants because of the cold nights coming (The funny thing about that is … why does it seem there are many more to bring in than were brought out last spring??) I was busy making purse charms and selling them at the art fair, shopping for products for my next art project, and collecting pics for future blogs. That’s not to mention washing tons of laundry and the ever-hated full sink of dishes.
It’s about time I pay as much attention to my body as I do picking out glass beads.
I am the heaviest I’ve ever been. I’m the most tired I’ve ever been. I am the flakiest I’ve ever been. I’m the oldest I’ve ever been, although that is a mute point. I’m also, in some worlds, the happiest I’ve ever been.
But if I don’t start working on this weight I won’t be around long enough to make any more “ever beens.”
So ONCE AGAIN I am working on a behavioral modification. I don’t do the “D” word or the “E” word any more. Those words just reflect dozens of failed New Year’s resolutions and bright spring morning starts.
I hear some of you say well, it’s too late for me. I’m too old to change my ways.
No you’re not. If you don’t start changing now, you won’t have a tomorrow to complain about.
What do dietitians and life coaches and psychics say? One day at a time?
I want to walk across a soccer field without getting a winded pain in the chest. I want to be able to lift my leg up to cross it on my other leg without pulling muscles. I want to eat healthier, sit outside more often, and be able to bend over without going “AAArrrrgggghhhh….eeeeahhhhooooo… jeeeeeezzzz.
So this Monday morning, before making a grocery list, before listening to smooth jazz jams and making homemade breakfast burritos, I am patting myself on the head and saying, “Go Girl. This time is the real time. One day at a time.”
I want to be around for my grandson’s high school graduation … heck… my seven-year-old’s high school graduation. I want to plan vacations where I can actually walk across a plaza without having to find a place to sit and recoup. I want to eat fresh foods and learn to cook all over again. I want to learn to walk and dance all over again.
If i can do it, you can do it. Do you need to do it?
Let’s get on this atta-boy band wagon together!
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Kathy Klein
Arizona-based artist Kathy Klein uses a variety of organic materials to produce a series of eye-catching mandalas referred to as Danmalas – a portmanteau of the Vedic Sanskrit words “dan” and “mala” which respectively mean “the giver” and “garland of flowers.”
Klein studied both Painting and Art Education at Arizona State University.
Each piece in her ongoing collection boasts a brilliant sense of geometric symmetry and energetic life.
Taking inspiration from traditional Buddhist mandalas, Klein’s danmala’s use shells, seeds, pine cones, rocks, vegetation, and a diverse supply of flowers (including carnations, daisies, goldenrods, hydrangeas, junipers, marigolds, and tulips) to present a circle of symmetry.
After assembling each visually enriching combination, she leaves it out for anyone to come across.
There’s a meditative repetitiveness to each creation that is both awakening and relaxing for those who discover her work in person.
“Mandalas are deeply imbedded in our collective consciousness,” Klein explains.
“They can be used to describe all of creation and are a reflection of the Sacred, which is inherently present in nature’s perfect geometry.”
More of Kathy Klein’s magical designs can be found at https://kathyklein.org and https://mymodernmet.com/kathy-klein-danmala/
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — David Johnson
While attending the International Fireworks Show in Ottawa, Canada, photographer David Johnson had his camera in hand to document the night.
When Spain’s entry into the competition began he decided to try something a little different.
The technique he used was a simple refocus during the 1-2 second-long exposure. 
To produce these images, Johnson started out of focus, and when he heard the explosion he quickly refocused.
The captured abstract beams were transformed into a series of unusual, striking shapes.
By shifting the focus of his camera, Johnson delivered both hazy and evidently detailed pictures.
“The shapes are quite bizarre, ” Johnson says.
“Some of them I was pleasantly surprised with.”
More of David Johnson’s marvelous photography can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/daveyjphoto/ and https://mymodernmet.com/david-johnson-fireworks-photography/.
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Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Heath Satow
Heath Satow (-1969) is an American artist who works in fabricated metals. 
Satow attended North Carolina State University School of Design where he graduated with honors with a concentration in sculpture.
The curved facets of his sculptural surfaces pull apart our visual surroundings, distort and re-order them in unexpected ways, creating a new interpretation of the world we usually tune out and take for granted.
Satow’s intention with these pieces is to tune us back into the world around us.
”I work primarily with mirror-polished stainless because of the visual variety it offers daily,” Satow shares.
“As natural light changes, as the colors of the seasons change, even as people’s fashion changes, all these permutations are literally reflected in the work.”
More of Heath Satow’s amazing sculptures can be found at https://www.publicsculpture.com/.
Faerie Paths — Revered
If you survive long enough, you’re revered—rather like an old building.
~Katharine Hepburn
Looking Back on Friday — Jewelry Part Two
The first round, Looking Back on Friday … Again — Jewelry Part One, was a hit with jewelry lovers! I mean, where else can you find jewelry made by Cartier and Pierre Sterlé side by side with alien stealing cows earrings and R2D2 rings?
Let’s visit some of my other oldie jewelry blogs and see where we land!
Jaime Moreno
Diamonds
Pearls
Jewels from the Persian Qajar Dynasty
Ashka Dymel
Robin Callahan
Mariko Kusumoto
Buildings, Gates, Archways, Tombs, and More — Part One — Gates and Fences
Going through some of the photos from my trip to Paris, Rome, and Florence last year for my new Frameo moving picture frame, I came across some kick ass photos of stone architecture.
What the architects of yesteryear created is past amazing. I am not familiar with the styles, but the words relief, frieze, architectural sculpture, and carvings all seem to be proper adjectives for the beauty I found over there.
I’ll never make my way over there again, and some of you might never make it there at all. Sharing these photos provide a realistic insight into what that world looks like from the comfort of your sofa.
Today I want to share with you gates I came across. Hopefully in future posts I’ll share altars, ceilings, buildings, and other wonders of the ancient world. Come walk with me!
Forgive some of the photography — I am an active learner still.
GATES/FENCES
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Günther Uecker
Günther Uecker (1930 – 2025) was a renowned German artist best known for his dynamic use of nails to create tactile, three-dimensional compositions that challenge the boundaries between painting and sculpture.
Uecker began his artistic education in 1949 when he took up studies at Wismar in Germany.
After the East German uprising of 1953, he escaped to the West, settling in Düsseldorf where he studied under Otto Pankok at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.
Beginning in 1966, after the group ZERO dissolved its last joint exhibition, Uecker increasingly began using nails as an artistic means of expression —- a material that, until today, stands in the centre of his oeuvre.
His nail art, characterized by rhythmic patterns and a sense of motion, evokes themes of destruction and reconstruction, reflecting the post-war context in which he emerged as a leading figure in contemporary art.
His idea of art as a cosmic practice may feel like something from the past, when artist-heroes grappled with essential truths on our behalf.
Yet there is profound humility in the way he steps into his studio each day with the tools of a carpenter, and little else.
More of Gunther Uecker’s expressive art can be found at https://www.levygorvydayan.com/artists/gunther-uecker.
I’m Bored
‘I’m bored,’ I sigh.
‘What?’ You ask, a slight smirk touching your lips.
‘You? Bored? Come on,’ you tease. ‘You… with a hundred things on your creativity list? How can you be bored?’ You make a slight pointing gesture before opening your hand in mock surprise.
‘I’m bored at this moment,’ I repeat, fingertips paused pensively on the keyboard. ‘The brain has not kicked in yet.’
‘Even Michelangelo was bored sometimes,’ I reply, an ever-so-slight flip on the edges. ‘I’m sure half way through painting the Sistine Chapel he thought he’d had enough and took a break to have a beer.’
You chuckle. ‘Honey, he probably drank wine. Chianti or something. But that’s not the point.’
You put your hands together as if in prayer.
‘Pray tell… why are you bored? Haven’t you said the world is an ever evolving and exciting place? That there’s always something new to learn?’
I nod sheepishly. I sit back in my chair, taking my fingers off the keyboard.
‘Yeah… right. Happy Happy Joy Joy and all that.’ A pause. ‘Maybe I’m just exploring the world of boredom. Inspecting its boundaries. Tiptoeing to the edge to see how far down it goes.’
You lean back in your comfy chair. ‘Ahhh … checking out the abyss, eh? The depths of man’s passions and despair. All or nothingness. Possibly all for naught. I’ve heard the boundaries are endless. True nirvana vs true blackness. Tottering to the edge doesn’t make so. You have to take that final leap.’
I look at you in a new philosophical light. You know so much. Feel so much. A real Nietzsche.
I look out the window, watching the birds knock each other out of the feeder, the clouds rolling in, a thunderstorm not far behind. I think. I contemplate. I muse. I dig deep into my soul.
I smile at you, finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
‘No … ’ I reply confidently.
‘I’m just bored.’
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Callen Schaub
Callen Schaub is an abstract artist based in Montreal, Canada. 
Schaub’s vivid, illusionistic abstract paintings feature sweeping patterns in colorful hues on rectangular and round surfaces.
The artist forgoes paint brushes, instead using tools like pendulums, trapezes, and spinning machines to produce the freeform splatters of paint seen throughout his work.
After creating the base, Schaub layered paint into a bucket destined to pass above the canvas while being suspended by a rope.
Taking it into his arms, he released a plug on the bottom, allowing paint to flow through two large holes, then sends the bucket swinging over the canvas.
The resulting swirls and blends makes for the most magical in-motion artwork.
With over a decade of live performances and exhibitions under his belt, Callen transforms movement into mesmerizing color, exploring what it means to make and experience art.
More of Callen Schaub’s exciting artwork can be found at https://callenschaub.com.
Finally! Another Caturday!
It’s been quite a few weeks since we’ve celebrated Caturday and Doggerday!
How’s your cat doing?
How’s your dog doing?
How’s your pets and kids and friends doing?
Cats and dogs and hamsters and toddlers and friends all live in that same stratosphere. That same aura. That same world.
The world of love. The world of friendship. The world where, no matter what they do, you are there for them.
No money need be exchanged; no favors given or taken. No shouldas, couldas or wouldas. Just plain friendship. The buddy system times ten.
Caturday and Doggerday are just reminders that your best friends need you.
Don’t limit your love rays to just your dogs and cats. Spread your love and affection to everyone around you. Hug your kid. Even if your kid is 40 years old. Call your bestie and talk for an hour. Text your friend from work and say hi.
You all know what I mean.
Share the love. Even if you don’t get it back. Doesn’t matter. Loving is what feels good. Share your heart’s wealth.
Especially when it translates into petting and cuddling fur babies…..
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Treehouses
TREE HOUSE
A tree house, a free house,
A secret you and me house,
A high up in the leafy branches
Cozy as can be house.
A street house, a neat house,
Be sure to wipe your feet house
Is not my kind of house at all-
Let’s go live in a tree house.
~ Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends
Faerie Paths — Friendship
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Marilyn Sunderland
Marilyn Sunderland is an American artist and sculptor who is recognized for her amazing sculptures made from ordinary pumpkins.
Sunderland has a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia, plus a two-year art course from the Art Instruction, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Having acquired carving certificates for classes completed in gourd and creative wood carving, Sunderland’s work transforms pumpkins into beautiful pieces of art, featuring blooming flowers, scenic landscapes, and swimming fish.
Before starting to work with a pumpkin, she removes the pulp, focusing solely on the walls.
She then treats the pumpkin using a special technique and applies layers of acrylic or oil paint.
Only after the pumpkin is primed does Marilyn begin carving her whimsical patterns and scenes.
She often cuts flowers, leaves, and other elements from other pumpkins and attaches them to her canvas-like pumpkin. The result is three-dimensional and incredibly intricate artwork.
More of Marilyn Sunderland’s amazing carvings can be found at https://www.marilynsunderlandstudios.com/.
Looking Back on Tuesday — Colors
You know how much fun I have looking back at Art Galleries — the diversity is just amazing!
Sometimes a highlighted artist is more a noun than a proper name. Generalities rather than specifics.
So it is with today’s highlights — color.
I do hope you are clicking on the blue title links and checking out the variety of images that tag along with the title.
See you there!
Silver
Beige
Gray
Black
Green
Brown
Turquoise
Pink
White
Orange
Blue
Yellow
Purple
Red
Gold
Making Something Out of Nothing
What a wonderful topic for a Monday Morning!
The places you could go with an inference of this sort! The trips of imagination and logic can move as one as we take a thought or motion or occurrence and make it out to be bigger and more fantastic than it already is — or ever was.
Alas, today’s observation is neither cosmic nor scientific. But it makes me smile anyway.
Friday night I went to our local theater to see Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. For those of you unaquainted with the turn-of-the-century series, the storyline is thus: The series, set on the fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey between 1912 and 1926, depicts the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their domestic servants in the post-Edwardian era, and the effects the great events of the time have on their lives and on the British social hierarchy. (Wikipedia) The movie itself is the conclusion of the TV series and the subsequent two follow up movies.
Anyway….
Our local theater is like most small town theaters. Four different movies, four different theaters, very few in any of them. I’ve taken my grandkids to movies and have attended a few on my own through the years, and I would be tickled if there were more than 3-4-5 other people in the theater with me.
Last Friday there were a whopping 12 people in the theater watching this period piece. More than the Fantastic Four and Minecraft together.
Could this be a reflection, an indication, of society’s lack of interest in new and modern faces on movies?
Are people finally getting tired of watching slashing and brutality and dismemberment for an hour and a half? Are people tired of spending good money to watch superheroes save humanity once again or demons possessing innocent victims or beautiful people turning to drugs?
According to Google AI, fewer people are going to movie theaters now compared to the past, with attendance in 2023 being roughly half of pre-pandemic levels, a trend largely driven by the rise of streaming services, the convenience of home viewing, and higher ticket prices.
Now maybe this is nothing more than a Boomer resistance. After all, we’ve seen this and that for like ever (heh). Possession? Yes. Slicing open bodies? Yep. Drugs? Yep. College parties and adult parties where all act like high school parties? Bring it on. Been there, done that.
I think Hollywood is having a problem bringing something new to the table.
There are only so many ways you can fall in love, have a drug overdose, crash cars and fight aliens. Only so many ways you can introduce and reintroduce blood and guts to the big screen.
The “large” audience in the theater Friday night was most likely a fluke. If I had gone to a larger theater in a larger city, they may have been lined up to see Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle.
But maybe — just maybe — people are getting tired of being scared, freaked out, and repulsed. There is enough of that on the nightly news.
Maybe a dose of Downton Abbey or F1 the race driver movie or even Stephen King’s non-demonic-yet-grueling The Long Walk is what people are searching for these days. Something with more brains and entertainment value over brutal and gory fare.
Or maybe I just like Downton Abbey.
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Leena Nio
Leena Nio (-1982) is a painter born in Helsinki and currently living in Espoo, Finland.
Nio graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in 2010 and was awarded the Finnish Art Society’s Ducat Prize the same year.
Nio is known for her ability to play with different techniques and perspectives through her oil paint.
Her choice of theme and technique stems from her profound interest in painting and its potential.
She makes use of traditional subject matter — such as portraiture and still life — but experiments with the materiality of paint, creating a range of impressions on a single canvas.
Often her paintings look like blown up photos of knitted sweaters, needlepoint and buttons.
More of Leena Nio’s delightful paintings can be found at https://leenanio.com/.
Faerie Paths — Cherry Blossoms
In the cherry blossom’s shade there’s no such thing as a stranger.
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — The Aftermath of 9/11 in Art (repost)
This blog was originally posted on September 11, 2016. I know that since the original post there have been thousands of art works created honoring this horrific day.
I thought it appropriate to repost this one today. The only changes I’ve made is to add the artist’s name.
We will never forget.
Sunday Morning Art Gallery — The Aftermath of 9/11 in Art
To send light into the darkness of men’s hearts — such is the duty of the artist.
~ Robert Schumann
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Hengki Koentjoro
Hengki Koentjoro (-1963) is an accomplished photographer specializing in capturing the spectral domain that lies amidst the shades of black and white.
He learned his craft at the Brooks Institute for Photography in Santa Barbara, California.
Upon his return to Indonesia, Koentjoro settled in Jakarta as a freelance videographer and video editor.
Delving into what he believes to be his true purpose in life’s journey of expression, he indulges himself in the art of black and white photography on the side.
Exploring along the borderlines of light and shadow, yin and yang, Koentjoro celebrates complexity in the minimalist.
In his striking signature simplicity, the artist delicately preserves the dreamy awe in ordinary objects above and under water.
“Photography can never be separated from the aspects of making the common things unusual,” Koentjoro shares, “welcoming the unexpected, indulging and embracing ourselves with the joy of photography.
More of Hengki Koentjoro’s marvelous photography can be found at https://www.hengki-koentjoro.com/.
These Days Aren’t So Bad After All
I have finally taken upon myself to watch the turn-of-he-century series “The Gilded Age.”
For those who are unfamiliar with this Julian Fellowes creation, The Gilded Age is about new money vs old money in 1880’s New York City.
Like its predecessor, Downton Abbey, the series is glorious in its sets, fashions, and elegance.
Now I realize this is a fictional creation for mass viewers, but it does touch on the morals and habits of people who lived 143-ish years ago.
It has all the raised prickles of a porcupine — upper class snobbery, racial bigotry, struggles of power and wealth and forbidden love and all that world entangles. And I know these fictional plights are separate from the true tragedies that still plague the world today — war, famine, poverty, bigotry.
But that’s not the angle I take this morning. I’m more moved by the social laws and desires and struggles those of the upper class back in the 1880s. It was a world today’s women can’t imagine
Of course there were exceptions. But that’s not what today’s blog is about.
A woman of “class” couldn’t go out unsupervised. Women were discouraged from talking to men or women not of their social rank. Women could not have visitors unless her parents approved first. Could not have friends out of their class or color. Women didn’t bother learning household skills and were never party to the ways of money, bills, or financial security. You weren’t allowed to question those who provided for you. You couldn’t play with your children without a nanny or governess around.
And those corsets! Eeek!
Today I am reflecting on the freedom of women to be women. And to have that definition be whatever we choose it to be.
Equality is virtue that is rarely achieved. It is talked about, suggested, hinted at, and even achieved in some arenas. The opulence of the Gilded Age was a barrier in a class status that should not have had any barriers. After all, you had money. You had a beautiful house. You ate in the most opulent restaurants and danced in ballrooms. Other people did your laundry and cooked your food and made your clothes. You did nothing but study social protocols and keep your opinions to yourself.
You were more restricted than Imotep’s mummy.
I’m happy that I was born a hundred years later. I’ve had poor days and rich days. I’ve worked and vacationed and drank out of crystal wine glasses. I took care of my children 24/7 and changed my own sheets. I have friends of color and friends who are well off and friends who are struggling to make ends meet.
I am free to live my life the way that I want.
I think my enjoyment of The Gilded Age boils down to crystal chandelier envy.
Which is fine with me…..
Looking Back on Monday — Needlepoint and Friends Part One
A lovely day for just about anything you’d like to go, any place you’d like to wander!
How about we take a wander back through some of my Needlepoint and Friends Galleries? I mean — a stitch in time makes nine — whatever that means — a stitch back in time makes for eleven great Galleries!!
Marina Printseva
Richard Preston
Ana Teresa Barboza
Vera Shimunia
Susanna Bauer
Michelle Kingdom
Yarn Bombing
Aiko Tezuka
Natalie Ciccoricco
Meredith Woolnough
Justyna Wołodkiewicz
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Tarik Kiswanson
Tarik Kiswanson (-1986) is a visual artist and poet from Halmstad, Sweden.
Kiswanson received his MFA from École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris and BFA from Central Saint Martins-University of the Arts London.
The artist comes from a Palestinian family that was exiled from Jerusalem to North Africa and then Jordan before subsequently settling in Sweden in the early 1980s.
Kiswanson transforms sculpture into a highly experiential artform.
He employs simple-seeming objects to conjure the sense of rootlessness that pervades our age.
Accordingly, what stands out from the empty wardrobes, cribs, cocoons, and chairs that recur in his installations is their overall impression of weightlessness.
Kiswanson borrows from Minimalism, and, in his rejection of simplified geometry and form, ushers in a new type of abstract sculpture.
More of Tarik Kiswanson’s abstract presentations can be found at https://tarikkiswanson.com/
More Upcoming Galleries
Another wonderful day which just happens to be a Saturday!
On my way to a soccer game then a birthday party, so I thought I’d tantalize your party buds and show you a few of the AWESOME artists I’ve yet to post…
Hope you’re as excited as I am!!
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Melinda Hutton
Closures/Remnants was born when Melinda Hutton, designer and artist, stumbled upon the world of antique buttons 26 years ago and became hooked.
Since then, she has been designing jewelry using antique and collectible buttons and has expanded her work to include handcrafting new pieces from well-loved vintage remnant pieces.
Each piece is a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted piece of artwork.
Texture, color, shape and type of button are factors Hutton considers at length before her designs are complete.
As an artist, Hutton’s goal when designing is to create a very personal, heirloom quality piece of jewelry that will be worn often and for years to come.
She combines old buttons with each other or with other ephemera to create one-of-a-kind jewelry.
More of Melissa Hutton’s work can be found at https://www.closures-remnants.com/.
Faerie Paths — Dance
Life is the dancer and you are the dance. ~ Eckhart Tolle
Let’s Do Life Together!
I am finally back from a long weekend of running around with my family up North. I love my family and I hope they love me but I’m so glad to be home and quiet and retired.
As if those two things go together.
I worked all my life to be able to sit on the deck and have coffee at the same time others are turning on their computers and making their first phone calls of the day.
Now that peace and quiet is always at the back door I find I can’t let it in for too long. It’s like my mind has turned A.D.D. on me.
If you’ve kept up with me on my blog you see me rewriting a novel, making sun catchers, drawing and sketching abstract emotions, opening an Etsy shop — I make myself tired.
Yet I have a new idea.
Bear with me.
Soon the craft show circa will be over. I accompany a group of typical male bonding fishermen up North for over a week so they can fish and tell fish stories and fish some more before we close the cabin. To take advantage of that down time, I have picked out several of last year’s drawings that I’d like to convert to watercolor paintings, resplendent with texture and 3D-ishment.
Once I finish all these paintings I’d like to have an open house gallery show with all these marvelous (insert roll of eyes here) creations and, along with purse charms and sun catchers, donate the proceeds to charity.
Where did this idea come from??? Should I even consider such nonsense?
Of course, all depends on the quality of the paintings, something I haven’t done in a long time. And how long this keeps my interest.
I am already finding new artists for my Gallery that blow my socks off and sharing my crafts with local consignment shops and getting ready for one more craft shows and football games and grandkids’ soccer games.
I should be satisfied with the crazy pace my life is already. But peace and quiet goes hand in hand with crazy and busy.
I hope your life is full of all four.
Let’s do this together!!
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Paul Kaptein
Paul Kaptein is an Australian artist who specializes in sculpture and drawing.
Kaptein graduated with an Advanced Diploma of Art and Design from the Claremont School of Art and a Bachelor of Fine Art from Curtin University.
Kaptein works with large blocks of laminated wood to reveal warped and distorted human figures, some pierced with a smattering of holes linked with drawn lines like star constellations.
Dramatic contours and warped curves interrupt the traditional human forms, making the sculptures seem as if they been intercepted by a digital software glitch.
Depending on the vantage point of the viewer, the figures can change from figurative to abstract, with some angles revealing an almost completely typically human body, while others uncover a striking warped effect.
Most of the Kaptein’s hand carved wooden pieces are in the middle of two modes of being – a stable, static appearance and some kind of mysterious state characterized by flexibility and fluctuation.
His hand-carved busts and figurative sculptures are additionally punctuated by gaps formed from the laminating process, creating the impression of digital glitches or images skewed by poor reception.
More of Paul Kaptein’s amazing sculptures can be found at https://www.paulkaptein.com/.
Happy Labor Day
For all those who have a job, had a job, or are yet to have a job, I salute you!
We’re all in this together!
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Bubbles (repost)
A very inspirational and magical post from 2014 ….
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Bubbles
I’m forever blowing bubbles
Pretty bubbles in the air……
They fly so high, nearly reach the sky
Then like my dreams they fade and die…….
When you look at a bubble, what do you see? Do they reflect reality? They are ethereal. Like a thought. A kiss. A memory.
They exist for only a moment. Yet resonate in our memory long after.
They make us wonder: What did I just see?
The possibilities are endless. You ask — is it real? Does it matter?
Are they reflections of our existence? A moment out of a million? A billion? Out of a nanosecond?
It doesn’t matter if their existence makes a difference in the world.
A difference in my life, or yours.
All that matters is they are beautiful. Fleeting. They float on air.
And for the briefest of moments, they exist.
As do we.
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Laurent Parcelier
Laurent Parcelier, born in 1962 in Auvergne, France, is a celebrated French painter known for his enchanting exploration of light and color.
Parcelier enrolled at the Duperre School of Applied Arts in Paris in 1978.
Initially working as an illustrator and comic book author, his journey into painting was sparked by winning first prize in a street painting contest, which led him to fully dedicate himself to this medium.
Parcelier’s work is often described as modern impressionism, characterized by its serene and idyllic portrayal of landscapes and city scenes.
The artist paints landscapes and city scenes using oil on canvas.
Influenced by his ability as a comic artist, you can see a unique graphic art nature attached to his paintings.
Parcelier’s mastery of light creates a dreamlike quality, inviting viewers into a world of calm and poetic beauty.
More of Laurent Parcelier’s inspirational paintings can be found at https://thegallerist.art/laurent-parcelier.
Faerie Paths — Shadows
The eye is always caught by light, but shadows have more to say.
~ Gregory Maguire
It’s almost here…
It’s almost here. Sneaking up on us like a cat stalking a leaf.
The breezy mornings, an almost all-the-way open window, clouds that roll overhead like bubbles from a bubble machine.
Summer is starting to pack up. Getting ready to move a little further south. And her sister Fall is pushing her way into her place.
This is actually my favorite time of year. I think it is for most people.
Most don’t like sweating in their underwear, nor do we care for barely moving under a pile of blankets when the temperatures dip below 30.
We enjoy life in the middle.
Very few of us live at either end of the Extreme. Hot/Cold, Up/Down. We may prefer nudging closer to one goal post over the other, but for the most part we hang out somewhere in the middle.
Good thing.
The extreme spots are important — where else could you enjoy snowmobiling, surfing, snow shoveling, and water parks? There is a need for anchors at both ends of the spectrum.
But many make a living in the in-between, too — plant and seed growers, fair organizers, high school sports coaches and wedding planners all prefer the cool warmth of Spring and Fall.
Me — I enjoy sweatshirts and football and soups and stews. I’m easy to please in the spring and fall.
Even though I like to think of myself as creative all year round, there’s something to be said about summer and winter projects. They just FEEL different.
I hate to admit I have more project ideas than drive and time to do them all. But there’s something about watching the leaves start to fall and seeing your breath in the morning air that makes me realize I don’t have forever to experiment.
What is your favorite time of year?
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Dominick Labino
Dominick Labino (1910 – 1987) was an American internationally known scientist, inventor, artist and master craftsman in glass.
He is responsible for sixty patents in the U.S. and hundreds in foreign countries, and is particularly remembered for his development of glass fibers, glass papers, and furnace designs.
He invented a formula that allowed glass to melt at low temperatures in small furnaces suitable for the needs of individual glassblowers, and thus, the international studio glass movement was begun.
Labino was trained as an engineer at the Carnegie Institute of Technology and began his professional career at Owens-Illinois, Inc., a glass manufacturing plant in Clarion, Pennsylvania.
Labino’s technical training facilitated his work as a glass innovator.
The unique combination of scientific knowledge and aesthetic inventiveness give the artist the ability to create extraordinary shapes, which give flashing light to his pieces.
The range of intensities of color in his fused multicolored forms, often contained in clear glass casing, along with the varied surface qualities, create broken reflective lights or light-absorbing matte textures.
Although an innovator in form, Labino is probably best known for his use of color.
The colorless glass encases interior veils of “dichroic” color, causing the hues to change as light strikes the piece from different angles.
The graceful, fluid form of Labino’s sculpture complements the special nature of the material, but it is his extraordinary sense of color and his ability to create color relationships through technical expertise that made him a master of twentieth-century glassmaking.
More of Dominick Labrino’s amazing glasswork can be found at https://hudsongallery.net/artist/dominick-labino/ and https://www.artnet.com/artists/dominick-labino/.
Pumpkin (repost)
Faerie Paths — Weird
We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness — and call it love — true love.
Looking Back on Whatever Day — Glassworks Part One
The reason for the carefree nebulous title is because I don’t know which day I will publish this blog. And I do want to publish it!
Looking back at all the Galleries, how can I not showcase some of the remarkable glass artists I’ve come across?
I hope you enjoy browsing through these glass galleries as much as i enjoyed sharing them with you.
I mean — LOOK AT ALL THIS MAGNIFICENT GLASS WORK!!
Paperweights
Luke Jerram
Dale Chihuly
René Lalique
Stained Glass
Ercole Barovier
Latchezar Boyadjiev
Daniela Forti
Jack Storms
Tina Lane
Graham Muir
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Cups
We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.
Faerie Paths — Rain
Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life.
~ John Updike
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Adam Lee
Adam Lee (1979-) is a contemporary artist from Melbourne, Australia.
Lee holds a Bachelor and Masters of Fine Art, and a PhD from RMIT University.
With a personal outlook informed by a wide range of sources – folklore, legend and biblical narratives to natural history, music, film and literature – his works on canvas and paper build elaborate worlds where allegory and atmosphere converge.
Lee’s work references a wide range of sources including historical and family photographs, spiritual narratives, natural history, and contemporary music, film and literature to investigate aspects of the human condition in relation to ideas of temporal and supernatural worlds.
His painting and drawing practices tie together narratives of memory, imagination and transcendence.
These explorations find their physical manifestation in Lee’s well-honed individual style, characterized by moody landscapes and a contemporary take on tenebrism (a style of painting that uses strong contrasts of light and dark for dramatic effect.)
More of Adam Lee’s creative artistry can be found at https://adamlee.com.au/ and https://stationgallery.com/artist/adam-lee/.
Could This Be …. Caturday? Or Doggerday?
I know there are cat lovers and dog lovers reading along side each other this fine Saturday morning. Perhaps there are also those who prefer rabbits or fish …
But I digress.
I’m sure you all can identify with the similarities of the universe — and of cats and dogs. Here are a few facts that show that the two are not so different after all:
1. They Rely on Body Language for Communication
Cats and dogs communicate through body language, although their signals are different. For example, a dog with a wagging tail and open mouth is likely happy. A cat with a wagging tail and open mouth, however, would normally be communicating anger.
2. They Have a Heightened Sense of Smell
Cats and dogs excel in scent detection. There are three types of scent receptors, and the one responsible for the ability to distinguish between smells is known as V1R. Humans have just two V1R receptors, dogs have nine, and cats have an impressive thirty V1R receptors!
3. They Hear Better Than Humans
Cats and dogs have a better sense of hearing than humans. Both use their ears to express emotions and have fantastic hearing. They also share the ability to move their ears into different positions, thanks to a large number of muscles that control ear movement. The only quirk is that this doesn’t apply to puppies, as all dogs are born deaf and remain so until they’re around three weeks old.
4. They Can Be Trained
While dogs often take the spotlight when it comes to performing tricks and training, cats can absolutely be trained and learn a variety of commands. The caveat is that cats are harder to train as they’re not as food motivated as their canine counterparts. The key to teaching cats commands and tricks is then finding the right motivation.
5. They Have Territorial Instincts
Cats and dogs can both be territorial at times, an instinctive behavior that aims to make sure they get their share of space, food, and mates.. However, how they respond to these instincts is different. Cats mark their territory by urine spraying and chin rubbing to leave their scent on things that are “theirs.” Dogs will also use urine to scent mark their territory, but are also more active about patrolling their land.
6. They Have Social Structure
Cats can be socially flexible, living happily and harmoniously with humans and even other animals. Dogs are highly social animals, especially when they’ve been properly socialized. One of the strongest similarities is that they both have a high affinity for people. It is believed that cats and dogs moved closer to a human settlement where they began their friendly relationship with human beings.
7. They Can Take Care of Themselves
Cats and dogs both possess strong survival skills and can hunt and scavenge for food. Both possess incredible hunting abilities. Cats are known for their agility and stealth. They possess sharp retractable claws, allowing them to climb trees and pounce on prey with precision. And dogs are excellent trackers and have a keen sense of smell. Their powerful noses enable them to track scents for long distances, making them exceptional companions for hunting and tracking activities.
8. They Eat Meat
Cats and dogs both eat meat. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they need animal protein to survive. Though dogs have largely descended from carnivorous wolves, they have evolved into omnivores, meaning they eat both animal and plant material.
9. They Form Strong Bonds with Their Owners
Despite the stereotype that cats are aloof, studies have shown that both dogs and cats can form deep emotional bonds with their human caregivers. They seek companionship, comfort, and security from their owners, displaying affection through purring, licking, cuddling, or following their humans around.
Just goes to show you that cats can manipulate you just as much as dogs can. It’s in their genes….
P.S. I learned something from this blog today — I didn’t know that puppies were born deaf …
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Beate Kuhn
Beate Kuhn (1927–2015) was German ceramicist who created sculptural objects from wheel-thrown elements and glazed stoneware.
Over the course of a more than a 60-year career, Kuhn created profound and extraordinarily well-crafted ceramic objects, beginning with functional ceramics, moving to sculpted vessels, and then to sculpture itself.
Kuhn learned to throw on the potter’s wheel at the Werkkunstschule (School of Applied Arts) Wiesbaden, then furthered her ceramic education at the Werkkunstschule Darmstadt, where she perfected techniques for mixing and applying clay slips, engobes, and glazes.
At the intersection of Modernist painting, sculpture, and studio pottery, Kuhn found creative resonance for her practice.
The beautiful and sublime aspects of nature were another muse as she channeled brilliant assemblages of parts: seed pods, succulents, exoskeletons, fungi, and shells.
Throughout her career, Kuhn skillfully played with contrasts in her artworks: shiny and matte, light and dark, convex and concave, stillness and movement, individual and collective, birth, death, and decay. 
Her free sculptures were created from single hand-thrown and cut elements, which she assembled into a whole.
She transferred this style principle of stringing together geometrical bodies to her designs of large-scale ceramic fountains.
More of Beate Kuhn’s amazing sculptures can be found at https://carnegieart.org/exhibition/beate-kuhn/ and Ceramics Monthly.
I’m Doing It … ! …?
Well, I think I’m finally going to do it.
After years of fiddling around, drifting off to other causes, other creative crafts, I have gone back to my first love — writing.
At least for this moment in time and space.
I have written two novels and part of a third about Gaia Borealis, a middle aged astralologist who travels to an alternate dimension to help the kingdom of Tinaria.
Ummmm, yeah. My heroine is not your typical heroine. She is middle aged, flaky, cosmic, and modern. (At least I hope she is.) She’s different — she’s older, settled down somewhere between astrology and astronomy, and clever in an eccentric way.
Of course the premise sounds daft. But you know me. I am often daft. And this is some of the most creative daft writing I’ve ever done (I think).
I am going to do a final editing and find an editor and see if I can get it published. If not, I’m going to put it on Amazon. I mean — why not?
I’ve said this a million times. I tried years ago to get my first two novels out to the public, with little success. I probably didn’t try hard enough. Or whatever. But these novels are quirky enough that someone may think they’re bankable quirky and can be shared with the public.
I am taking a big chance here, but I’m going to publish my prologue here and see what you all think about it. The feel, the mystery, the promise. Does it pique your interest? Nudge you to want to read more? You don’t have to be a fan of this sort of writing to share your thoughts.
SOOOO … ALL of you followers … let me know what you think.
P.S. If you know of any editors who might be interested in this sort of story, let me know that too! You know me … always open to new experiences … and people ...
Gaia and the Etruscans
My name is Gaia Borealis.
I was told most introductions, most self-driven non-fiction recordings, start out with a name and an insight. Well, as you can see, my name is not of the usual variety. I suppose you could say the same about my life. Of course, doesn’t everyone say that?
I am about five feet six inches tall, with shoulder-length curly Moroccan hair and round hazel eyes held in place by a few wrinkles. I weigh – dear me, I don’t believe that is relative to this part of my biography. Let us just say I am neither stick thin nor robustly round, but just perfect for my age.
Spirit says I should record my experiences for posterity, and also that I record my experiences before I forget the details. I am not sure about the validity of either, but I have to tell you, it is hard to begin my story talking about the first forty-some years of my life. Truthfully, there is little to tell that would surprise or titillate anyone.
But all right – let us cut to the chase. I went through the normal rounds of high school, a bit of college, and held several jobs through the years, including working in a bookstore and as a hosiery salesperson. My mother and father are still alive, residing in comfort in Fort Meyers, Florida, and my older brother lives in a commune out in Colorado.
I’m not sure if that’s what you were looking for. I wonder if you can hear me sigh. I have written and deleted the beginning of this story a hundred times, wondering what is pertinent and what is bramble. But let it be for now. Let me grab my glass of Alopa and continue.
I was recently asked to become a part of the legacy of King Rexor of Etruria. Rexor is the name of the King. Etruria is the name of a city on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea on the planet Tinaria. (Tinaria, by the way, is the ancient Etruscan name for the god of the sky, a.k.a. Jupiter. Zeus.)
How do you like it so far? Oh, I know it sounds babbly brook, and perhaps it is. But believe me – no one was more surprised than I to be solicited by the Consigliore of Etruria to save their world.
Now, I know you are tempted to close this book and find something more … mmmm … middle-of-the-road, as they say, to read. After all, who wants to have to remember outer space names and places and such? Trust me, though. Soon the names and places will become second nature, and you will be brought along on a journey of a most extraordinary sort.
And once I get into the “meat” of the story – well, let’s just say it will keep you quite entertained. For the story I am about to share with you is the latest addition to the archives of the world known as Tinaria.
As much as I would like to say I have had a life just like everyone else, I did not. There were male and female companions, even a few good friends throughout my life on Earth. But I was also lonely, as I had a gift like no other, a gift that no one could understand. A gift no one wanted to understand. I don’t blame my parents – I wouldn’t want to bring around a child who claimed to have just had a conversation with Galileo Galilei either.
You see, I am an astralologist. No, not an astronomer or an astrologer. An astralologist. Someone who communicates directly with the cosmos on a physical level, so to speak. I communicate verbally with spirit guides, prominent scientists and philosophers, and others who are pursuers of Conversation and the Arts.
How could such nonsense be a part of my daily routine? How could I believe in things that science said did not exist? I don’t want to get lost in the cosmic or religious inferences of such claims. For the moment, let’s assume that you, the reader, have accepted the possibility of such, and move on.
As I got older, my “psychic ability” (if you wish to use such a pedestrian term) exploded in leaps and bounds. I found my intuitional tentacles reaching out and touching realms I never dreamed possible. Sometimes I sat and channeled sentences or paragraphs or essays from beings on the other side. Other times I would peer past the edge of the painting, seeing objects or landscapes or people the artist imagined but could not fit on the canvas. Intruding, perhaps, but thrilling as well.
Why then, you ask, did I leave my world to become lost in one whose existence could never be proved? I suppose it is like asking why you fell in love with a particular person, or why you ordered fettuccine instead of pot roast. Sometimes choices are made for us. Other times we just choose. Period.
So through my choices, I took my first-ever magic carpet ride through the cosmos to a world I never imagined existed.
And this is what happened.
Faerie Paths — Discovery
Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
Carl Sagan
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti (1935—2007) was an Italian operatic lyric tenor considered one of the finest bel canto opera singers of the 20th century.
He made numerous recordings of complete operas and individual arias, gaining worldwide fame for his tone, and gaining the nickname “King of the High Cs“.
Pavarotti took his first steps in the world of lyric poetry as a choir singer.
After working for two years as an elementary school teacher, he studied singing in his hometown with Arrigo Pola, and years later perfected his technique in Mantua with Ettore Campogalliani.
Pavarotti made his debut on April 29, 1961, in the Italian city of Reggio Emilia in the role that would later make him famous: Rodolfo in Giacomo Puccini ‘s La bohème.
Pavarotti’s voice and performance were very much in the powerful style of the traditional Italian tenor.
His voice, at once capable of sweetness and immense volume, is considered the ideal medium for Italian opera’s celebrated bel canto works, those works calling for purity of tone and articulation even in the upper register.
Pavarotti’s success was due to two fundamental elements: first of all, his extraordinarily powerful voice with its wonderfully moving timbre, and secondly, the uniqueness of his great and radiant personality.
“People think I’m disciplined,” Pavarotti said.
“It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference.”
More of Luciano Pavarotti’s amazing career can be found at https://www.pavarottiofficial.com/
(try not to) Second Guess Yourself
My first craft show of the year — a double day chance to show off my creative wares, chat with people, and make a little money from my hard work and creativity. It was supposed to be a sunshine day. A bright and bubbly opportunity to share the magic.
Saturday was hot and humid, sticky and wicky. The craft show was set in a circle pattern, and I had a great spot (four or five spots from the entrance). But as most people turn right whenever they enter a venue, and I was five spots on the left, by the time they made their way past my booth most were hot and sweaty and tired and in no mood for sparkly things.
It wasn’t a total loss, but it could have been better.
Then came Sunday.
Pouring rain and thunderstorms started at about 6 a.m. We headed to the craft show with positive vibes. Surely it would clear up by show time. Showed up a little after 7 a.m., and sat in the car in the pouring rain until about 7:45 a.m.. Received an email from the craft show boss that the committee would decide by 8:15 a.m. if they were going to close the craft show part of the fair.
9 a.m. and no word. A number of booths were emptied the day before (lots of rain at the end of the day), and those who showed up Sunday morning were packing up the rest of their wares and heading for the exit. Thunder. Rain. Indecision.
We finally decided to pack it in and go home.
Half way home I received an email that the craft show wasn’t actually cancelled, merely moved to a cement section closer to the center of the fair. We didn’t have the right equipment for a cement setup, so we decided to just go home.
Of course, the thunder and lightning and pouring rain stopped about 12 p.m., and the sun had the nerve to try and peek out from behind the clouds.
Then the guilt trip started to set in.
Maybe I should have sat in the rain for another hour while the committee decided what to do. Maybe I wasn’t a real crafter because I didn’t stick it out. Maybe I should have finished the 40 minute drive home, stopped at the store, bought eight gallons of water, then turned around and headed back to the craft fair and taken 45 minutes setting everything up again and sell my wares for a couple more hours. And, of course the obvious — I wasted a whole day of sales (even though it was more like three hours).
But the decision had already been made.
Every decision is always 50/50. You will or you won’t. You do or do not. Even if you spend days and weeks thinking and angsting you still have a 50/50 chance of making the “right” choice.
I wanted to savor the self pity I was pouring on myself, but I found it hard to do. I had made the decision to try again another day, and moved on. After all, there are so many more 50/50 decisions to be made.
I wound up making enough to cover my booth fee, a few dollars for my daughter in law (who made my Garden Fairy Wands), and a little money to cover going out to dinner next weekend.
And there’s always my next fair at the end of September.
Don’t let guilt keep you second guessing yourself. What’s done is done. No woulda shouldas for you.
Your next adventure awaits!
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Peter Callesen
Peter Callesen (-1967) is a Danish visual artist and writer.
Callesen began studies in architecture, then switched to art, attending the Goldsmiths College, London and The Art Academy of Jutland, Aarhus, Denmark.
Callesen works with A4 white paper, transforming it into playful sculptures, people, animals or nature motifs.
The artist crafts each of his sculptures to closely resemble their real-life counterparts and also utilizes the space below his creations to tell the story.
His sculptures explore the probable and magical transformation of the flat sheet of paper into figures that expand into the space surrounding them.
Many of his artworks play with depth, and one of the ways he does this is by cutting up a sheet of paper in order to make the ground beneath a sculpture look cracked or textured.
More of Peter Callesen’s creative papercutting can be found at https://www.petercallesen.com/.
Rock Therapy
Just returned from a few days camping with the grandkids and their other magical grandparents. It was excellent on one end of the scale, and exhausting on the other.
I now now why God and nature decided that 72 was too old to have babies …
But I digress.
I find I’m hooked on Creativity/Art. All the time. I mean, I don’t eat and drink art (I leave that for smores and morning camp coffee), but I do find it follows me along wherever I go.
Lake and pool swimming over for the most part, my two youngest grandkids and I had a rock painting party one hot late afternoon.
This is our second year of “sharing the art.” We find suitable-sized rocks (preferably light and smooth), bring them back to the campground, paint positive words and/or scenes on them, then place them at various spots around the campground, hoping someone else will find them and take them home.
In reality it’s a karma kind of thing. It feels good.
So here is a pic of our final batch, and along with a couple of the ones I contributed….
You can do this too! Around the campground, around the park, around the neighborhood. Do it! It feels GREAT!!
Faerie Paths — Spirit
Spirit is like the wind, in that we can’t see it but can see its effects, which are profound.
~ Jimmy Carter
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — David Stoupakis
David Stoupakis is an American artist known for his captivating and introspective artworks that blend elements of surrealism, dark fantasy, and emotional narrative.
Stoupakis’ artistic journey began with formal training at the Art institute of Boston, where he honed his skills in traditional techniques while developing a distinctive style characterized by haunting imagery and intricate details.
His paintings often feature ethereal figures, frequently children, infused with a sense of melancholy and mystery.
Stoupakis’ works explore themes of innocence, loss, and transformation, drawing viewers into poignant narratives that resonate on both personal and universal levels.
With a meticulous approach to composition and of light and shadow, Stoupakis creates atmospheric pieces that evoke a profound emotional response.
Emerging during the Lowbrow art movement, the artist quickly garnered attention for his unique blend of beauty and darkness.
His works explore themes of innocence, loss, and transformation, drawing viewers into poignant narratives that resonate on both personal and universal levels.
More of David Stoupakis’ beautiful and dark art can be found at https://davidstoupakis.bigcartel.com/.
Faerie Paths — Astral
See you on the astral…
~ Brandt Legg
Draco (Repost)
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Lisa Agababian
Lisa Agababian, born and raised in New York City, is mostly a self-taught ceramic artist currently creating purposeful art in Tucson, AZ.
Although Agababian’s journey with clay was shelved for several years as she gained her formal education in mathematics & computer science, she managed to get back to her passion when she moved to Tucson in 1989.
Agababian creates unique, one-of-a-kind, ceramic heart wall sculptures.
All of her hearts are designed, hand-built, and painted with low fire colorful glazes, crystal glazes, under-glazes, metallic/luster overgrazes, and anything else she can embellish a piece with to add to the depth, beauty, and uniqueness desiring to be expressed.
Low fire earthenware clay is Agababian’s favorite medium to work with, because, as the artist says, clay not only feels good, but it is a most friendly and forgiving medium to work with before the first firing.
Her work is wonderfully three dimensional, her added flair highlighting depth and detail to her vibrant hearts.
More of Lisa Agababian’s wonderful ceramic hearts can be found at https://fuchsiadesigns.com.
Looking Back on Saturday — Statues — Part One
Another wonderful Saturday!
No matter what you’re doing, no matter where you are, no matter if you’re feeling low or high, flashback galleries are a way to marvel at the world of Art.
There are a number of galleries to choose from — how about visiting the world of statues?
Giant Heads
Nathan Sawaya
Don Esser
Giant Statues
Odani Motohiko
Donatello
Kang Dong Hyun
Penny Hardy
Carl Peverall
My Journey — Doors Part Three
Thank you all for taking time to enjoy my photos of doors in Paris, Rome, and Florence. I’m sure there were thousands more that I didn’t see, hundreds more I didn’t photograph.
I wanted to share the beauty and handiwork of those very old cities with you. Share and remember. It was a pleasure walking past these doors, and even more pleasurable to walk past them with you.
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Betsey Johnson
Betsey Johnson (born August 10, 1942) is an American fashion designer best known for her colorful, cute and whimsical designs.
Her love of color and short skirt flair has earned her national and international recognition for decades.
Johnson studied at the Pratt Institute and then later graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Syracuse University, where she was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta women’s sorority.
The artist was introduced to the fashion world as the in-house designer for the youth culture punk boutique Paraphernalia in New York City in the mid 1960s.
Johnson followed that becoming a creative director of Alley Cat, a youthful sportswear brand, and by 1969, she opened her first boutique, Betsey Bunky Nini, on New York City’s Upper East Side.
She continued to have her own label with a variety of manufacturers, and by 1978, Johnson’s opened her own company, the eponymous Betsey Johnson brand.
Johnson’s trademark look has remained the same over her decades-long contributions to the fashion landscape: sexy silhouettes, hippie inspired flowing fabrics, whimsical detailing, and bohemian flares.
More of Betsey Johnson’s popular fashions can be found at https://betseyjohnson.com/.
Faerie Paths — Break Time
Took this picture a few days ago — Such still beauty.
Take a moment today and just be you.
This Generation!
I am old enough now to comment on my generation vs the current generation.
Like my parents complaining about the boomers, I have an open road when it comes to commenting on how things have changed, how values have twisted, and how important functions have been left to blow in the wind like a leaf on a branch.
For those who are curious, here is how the generations are branded:
Silent Generation (Born Approximately 1928-1945)
Baby Boomers (Born Approximately 1946-1964)
Gen X (Born Approximately 1965-1980)
Millennials (Born Approximately 1981-1996)
Gen Z (Born Approximately 1997-2009)
Generation Alpha (Born Approximately 2010-2024)
Generation Beta (Born Approximately 2025-2039)
There are traits attached to each generation; positives and negatives based partially on what the generation before left them.
This all hurts my head. And I haven’t even begun to analyze them.
In a world that is evolving faster than ice cubes melting, there are enough generations behind me to worry. What will the world be like when my grandkids’ Generation Beta kids are born? What will the world be like? The environment? The political stability? The home cooking?
Generation Alpha kids already don’t write in cursive or do addition or subtraction with carry overs and cross outs. Their books and classes are on the Internet, along with their entertainment and restaurant menus.
This is not a complain-about-the-generations kind of blog. We are all victims of our environment, and need to adapt to new changes and different horizons. Kids today no longer have to wonder what walking on the moon was like or how two airplanes crashing into skyscrapers would look.
If I could have the next generation and the next and the next take anything from my generation, it would be to carry on three simple things:
- say please and thank you
- understand what I am sorry means
- help others
There are as many things you want to pass on to tomorrow’s generations as you want them to leave behind. No one will miss droopy pants that show your butt crack or pet rocks or light blue polyester suits for men.
Kids may not remember how to write in cursive or what a snow day was, but I hope we instill at least one trait they can pass on to their next generation…
Kindness.
Plain and simple.
Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Kim Clough
By night, Kim Clough from Rochester, Minnesota, is a medical lab scientist.
By day however, she’s a miniaturist who creates amazingly detailed miniature foods that can fit right on your fingertip.
Clough creates creates miniatures of food — anything from fried chicken to perfect chocolate cakes and other desserts.
The artist uses polymer clay to sculpt her miniatures, and every miniature is no bigger than 1:12 of the size of the actual subject.
When sculpting food in 1:12 scale, where one inch equals 12 inches, Clough renders clay sculptures with acute attention to detail when representing their real-life counterparts.
Clay is an ideal medium since it is easily molded into a rendition of edible cuisine that gives an illusion of being able to bite right into it.
Clough’s intricate work is a visual delight, an amazing recreation of everyday foods.
You can find more of Kim Clough’s work on her website, as well as on deviantArt and Instagram.
Humoring the Goddess 